Three Types of Lives: Alive to Survive

Some people are “alive to survive.”  Their goal is to stay sane by making it through another day. When people live for survival they end up never knowing their God-given purpose. These individuals are like the little silver ball in a pinball machine. They hurtle through life at warp speed trying to rack up more points than anyone else. They bounce back and forth, up and down, getting whacked here and there along the way. They never seem to make any progress, but one thing is certain. Eventually the little silver ball drops in the hole and the game is over.

People living for survival find themselves in a vicious circle of monotony followed by moments of sheer terror.  They get up in the morning and head off to work.  After racing to meetings, returning urgent phone calls and plowing through paperwork, they drive home in rush hour traffic to grab a quick bite to eat.  Then they dash out the door to soccer games, school events, or church meetings.  After tucking in the kids, they fall exhausted into their own beds knowing that tomorrow they get to do it all over again.  Someone summarized it this way:

“My life is hectic!  I’m running all day … My output is tremendous; I’m getting a lot done.  But I get this feeling inside sometimes, ‘So what?  What am I doing that really counts?’  I have to admit, I don’t know.”

When our first child was born, my wife left her teaching job to become a “stay-at-home mom.”  It was a decision we both supported, but there were consequences. We immediately lost half of our income, I became the sole breadwinner, and my wife assumed the primary role of childcare provider.

As a new father I felt an enormous sense of responsibility to provide for my growing family.  But since I also was a teacher, I wasn’t sure how my family would survive on my meager salary.  I decided to supplement the family’s income by working a part-time job in the evenings.

Later, after our second child was born, I took on a second part-time job on the weekends.  Now I was working three jobs!  Additionally, I was taking one course per semester toward a graduate degree.  Most days I was so tired I didn’t know if he was coming or going.  My wife, left virtually alone to care for our toddlers, was totally exhausted by the end of each day.

Our goal was simple:  Survival!  Living in survival mode almost did us in!  People can’t live this way for long or they’ll either burn out or flame out.

What about your life? Are you living an “Alive to Survive” life? If so, you’re living in the “danger zone.” Stop! Think about what you’re doing and the affect it’s having on you and the people you love. You have to make some changes – and fast.

To Do lists don’t work as well as an alternate method. First, make 2 lists of everything you have to do in every part of your life. Label the first, “Important and Urgent.” The other list should be labeled “Important not Urgent.” Important means: “The completion of the task will have a positive benefit on your life; and if it remains undone, your life will suffer.” Urgent means: “It needs to be done this week.”

Once your lists are completed, prioritize the tasks. Then look at your schedule and set aside blocks of time for you to work on these priority tasks. Continue this way until you’re no longer in “the danger zone.”

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